Nawaz to file bail plea on medical grounds: sources

ISLAMABAD: Deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday telephoned his lawyer and discussed a possibility to seek bail on medical grounds after his health was reportedly deteriorated in incarceration, ARY News reported.

According to sources, Sharif will file a plea, through his lawyer, seeking bail on medical grounds.

The former PM has already filed a petition against his jail term as well as suspension of conviction in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case.

Sources informed that the legal team of Mr. Sharif will prepare another plea citing medical condition of their client and request the court to order his release.

Earlier in the day, Sharif was brought to the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) from Kot Lakhpat jail for a medical examination amid tight security.

A three-member medical board comprising doctors from the PIC examined the health of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo. Upon completion of the medical checkup, he was shifted back to the prison where he is serving seven-year term awarded to him in the Al-Azizia corruption reference by an accountability court.

The accountability court judge Muhammad Arshad Malik on Dec 24 sentenced Sharif to seven years in prison in the Al-Azizia reference case

Already disqualified for holding public office, Nawaz Sharif was however acquitted of all charges in the Flagship Investment case. The former premier was arrested by a NAB team soon after the verdict was announced.

Whereas on Jan 3, NAB moved two appeals in the IHC, challenging the accountability court verdict in the Al-Azizia and Flagship Investment references against Sharif.

The anti-graft watchdog pleaded to increase the sentence awarded to Sharif in the Al-Azizia case and overturn his acquittal in the Flagship reference.

“The accountability court passed the impugned judgment in slipshod and a cursory manner without adverting to evidence available on record,” reads the petition. “There is absolute misreading and non-reading of the evidence tendered by the prosecution so much so that the prosecution witnesses stood the test of being sagacious and tendered unimplacable deposition despite lengthy cross examination.”